Sunglasses
by perplexic
Summary: -I let my guard down- is the only thought that registers as you tumble backwards, weighed down by a very persistent Kiba, who deftly snatches away your glasses and tosses them off to his partner in crime. ShinoKiba
1. Sunglasses

_I let my guard down_ is the only thought that registers as you tumble backwards, weighed down by a persistent Kiba, who deftly snatches away your glasses and tosses them off to his partner in crime. With a woof and a quick shuttering of bushes you deduce that your ever present sunglasses are now far, far away. No doubt just as intended by the boy sitting impatiently on your stomach. A small fiercely defiant part of you sees to it that your eyes stay firmly shut, refusing to give Kiba the pleasure of getting what he wants. You instead settle for a vaguely annoyed sigh, wondering how long it will take for the other boy to get bored and return the absconded eyewear.

"Come on Shino! Stop being so stubborn! Just open your eyes for like two seconds! I wanna see!"

"Kiba," You say calmly, as though you hadn't just been jumped in the middle trying to study the flight patterns of a very unusual species of beetle. "My sunglasses."

He shifts suddenly on top of you and you think there's a smirk somewhere in the movement but you're not sure why.

"Hmm… They're probably about halfway back to my house by now. Akamaru's pretty quick on his feet, you know?"

The small spiteful voice that has kept you from opening your eyes thus far is quickly squashed, and your more sensible, coolly detached thought process takes over once again, reasoning that giving in will be far less involved and time-consuming.

"So…" Kiba starts.

"So…?" You supply unhelpfully, with a final stab of withering spite.

"Shino, just open your eyes already! It's not like you can get home while keeping your eyes closed!"

"Actually, the Kikaichu—"

"Damn it Shino I don't want to hear about your fancy bugs for the millionth and twenty-second time! Stop being so stubborn!"

_You're hardly in a position to complain about others being stubborn._

"Kiba."

"WHAT!?"

"The sun is shining directly in my face and my eyes are more sensitive than most to begin with. I'd probably be blinded." You aren't lying, it's not as though the entirety of the Aburame goes around wearing sunglasses because they think it makes them look cool, but it's not the reason either. He wouldn't believe you for a second if you just said that you happened to be feeling childish today.

"Oh… Damn it, why didn't you just say so!?"

You're about to point out the fact that he never gave you a chance, what with the tackling and the glasses stealing, but a sudden shade over takes the warm light of the sun and you're thoroughly distracted. Your curiosity gets the better of you and you open your eyes.

You're greeted by a slightly off-setting close up of Kiba's face, which, conveniently, blocks the harsh light of the sun quite nicely. Kiba himself blinks suddenly, tilting his head with a quiet _whoa._

Silence pervades as he seems to zone out, and you do your best to remain cool and ineffable despite the fact that the closest thing you'll probably ever have to a best friend is giving you a look that may or may not equate to undressing you with his eyes.

"Kiba…"

He draws to attention suddenly, and begins talking as if the last intensely awkward 10 seconds never happened.

"Not bad Shino, not bad at all. Real sharp and intense, kind of like Sasuke's…" He pauses contemplatively and peers into your eyes more deeply. "…Only with less homicidal angst and more '_Kiba, you insufferable asshole, get the fuck off of my stomach.'_" He says grinning widely.

You beat down the smirk that was threatening to surface and replace it with a nice safe deadpan.

"Alright, alright, I get it already. Geez!" He braces himself over you with one hand, putting the other to his mouth and whistling almost loud enough to make you flinch. Almost.

After a few seconds Akamaru bounds over the bushes and back into the clearing, slightly slobbery, but otherwise unharmed sunglasses in tow. You curse yourself silently for not trying to call him on the bluff earlier.

"Here, no harm done, right?" He says casually, taking the glasses from his dog's mouth and wiping them on his jacket before placing them over your eyes again. You almost recoil at the gentleness of the gesture, seeming strikingly out of place when performed by your rambunctious teammate.

You hum noncommittally, quickly sit up, extricate yourself from underneath Kiba's straddled legs, and beginning the walk home without another word. You vaguely register an almost frantic _Ah! Shino wait up! _and deliberately keep walking, letting the aforementioned smirk sneak lazily on to your face.

_Sharp and intense eh?_

_

* * *

_

"Fucking _bedroom_ _eyes_ I swear!" You exclaim wildly as Hinata lets out a dainty cough.

"Kiba-kun please your voice…" She squeaks hesitantly.

_Shit, that's right, her dad would probably kill me for I being to loud. The prick. _

"Sorry. Anyways, I'm serious though! I mean no wonder he wears those sunglasses all the time! If he didn't women would be throwing themselves at him like bitches in heat!"

"_K-Kiba-kun!_"

_Oh, maybe she meant the cursing…_

"Ah, my bad, my bad." You scratch the back of your head apologetically. You notice her fiddle with the moist towel on her forehead and glance nervously between it and the basin of water next to you.

You take the cloth from her, dipping it in and wringing it out again before replacing it on her forehead. Some of the water has splashed out of the basin and the pristine white of the towel is now smudged with dirt from your hands, but hey, it's thought that counts.

"Ah… Th-Thank you…" She stutters, blushing shyly.

You hum dismissively. "In any case, do you think you'll be feeling better in time for training tomorrow? Me and Shino can always do individual training again."

She's giving you a sort of worried look, probably figuring that _individual training_ equates to Shino trying to train and you bothering him. Which is really only true half the time.

"No, my fever's gone down a lot so I'll probably be fine by tomorrow… Plus, Neji-nii-san went and got me medicine, so…"

"Ah, that's good." You fidget slightly. You've been sitting still for entirely too long and your leg is starting to bounce restlessly. "I should probably go though, poor Akamaru's probably getting bored." You lie smoothly.

She nods weakly. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry about it, you can't help that your dad doesn't want him messing up your house." _Even though he's WAY better trained than that. _"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then!"

You get up to leave but feel a gentle tug at your shirt and you look back to see Hinata muttering to herself, or maybe you. It's hard to tell sometimes.

"…shouldn't… …-kun…. …things… …want to…"

You blink and lean closer to her. "What?"

"Y-You shouldn't m-m-make Shino-kun do things he d-doesn't want to do!"

_Holy shit! Is HINATA actually TELLING ME OFF? She must have been saving up her courage this entire time to say that!_

"Calm down Hinata, its not as if I was trying to _rape_ him or something, I just wanted to see his eyes. Plus if I were really making him uncomfortable he'd just Kikaichu me and be on his merry way."

Her blush finally catches up with her and she starts fingering her blanket nervously.

"He wouldn't…" She says quietly, and you tilt your head at her curiously. "Shino-kun would never attack one of his teammates…"

The air is getting a touch to heavy for your tastes.

"Just for your sake, I'll holler next time before I jump him, okay?" You say smiling jokingly.

She smiles a very small pleased little smile and you can't help but feel slightly proud for having put it there. Any chance to help Hinata gain some confidence in herself was worth taking in your eyes.

"Take care of yourself, alright?"

"I will Kiba-kun, good bye."

You shut the door gently, resisting the urge to run through the halls and giving a slight bow to Hinata's father before nearly bounding out the door. Akamaru is at your heels in an instant, running alongside you and barking happily. It feels good to be out and about in the fresh air again.

But as you run you can't help but think back to Hinata's words.

'_Shino-kun would never attack one of his teammates…'_

What's worse is that the more you think about it, the more and more it seems to make sense.

_He really wouldn't, would he?_

_

* * *

_

You tug at the fur hem of your coat as your eyes shift around restlessly. Shino is standing solidly at your side, having already performed all required greetings and expressions of concern for the time being.

You're not really uncomfortable, as many would think, you've long since gotten used to your stoic teammate's silences. You are however, growing increasingly worried for Kiba, who has yet to appear.

Seeing as Kurenai is still away on her _So Secret I'd Have to Kill You if I Told You_ mission, the three of you are left to your own devices for training. In all honesty, you've all past the point where Kurenai can really help you that much anyways, besides sharing her experience and opinions, so you're not really worried.

Kiba still isn't here.

It occurs to you suddenly that maybe he might be trying to avoid Shino, what with that whole sunglasses episode that transpired while you were sick. You knew that Kiba fixated on things relatively easily, and the entire time he was visiting he just couldn't seem to stop talking about Shino's eyes.

_Where they really that nice?_

You fidget involuntarily and steal a quick glance at Shino.

He doesn't _seem_ uncomfortable or put off in any way, but then again this was the same Shino that had walked home on a broken ankle and hadn't told them until the next day when he had already been to the hospital and was unable to participate in training.

You don't think Kiba ever really forgave him for that.

It was hypocritical in a way, that someone who so strongly endorsed teamwork and trust between teammates had such a hard time depending on people. Needless to say, he was always accommodating and looking out for Kiba and yourself, but letting the two of you help him seemed to be far more trying of a task.

"Did you want to say something, Hinata?"

You flinch a little at the sudden question.

"N-No, not really Shino-kun… Wh-Why do you ask?"

"You have attempted seven surreptitious glances in my direction in the past three minutes…" Shino stated analytically. "…and you've started stuttering again. Is there some cause for concern?"

_Thank goodness, he hasn't caught on. I'll just tell him I'm worried about Kiba-kun._

"About your eyes…"

He turns to you questioningly and you look back stunned and equally confused.

_That's not what I wanted to say!_

You can feel your face redden involuntarily.

"Ah! Um! I-I mean—! Y-Yesterday! Ab-b-bout yesterday! I-I—!"

"Hinata." Shino says calmly, putting a soothing hand on your shoulder.

"Y-Yes Sh-Shino-k-kun?"

"I don't mind. Breathe."

You nod furiously and take a few deep breaths. It's terrible that you still get so worked up about these sorts of things, especially when you already know that your teammates won't get angry, but you really can't help it.

_Well I guess since I already brought it up…_

"I-I wanted… to ask… if you w-were mad at K-Kiba-kun… for yesterd-day… and your eyes… your glasses… I'm s-sorry I w-wasn't here to s-st-stop him."

"You are not at fault."

That placates your nerves a little more than it should have.

"A-And Kiba-kun…?"

He sighs quietly and you can feel yourself getting antsy again. "It was rude, but not unforgivable. I have come to expect such things from him. I should not have let my guard down."

You let out a breath of relief. "So you're not mad then?"

"No."

You feel more at ease now, but you can't help but be a little curious.

"Um… Is there any reason why you do…? Wear sunglasses I mean…"

He hesitates slightly. "The Aburame have a predisposition to light-sensitive eyes that is resultant of our relationship with the Kikaichu."

"Oh… I see…" You fidget more.

Shino regards you wearily and with the slightest hint of resignation. "Do you want to see?"

You flinch and immediately feel guilty. "Y-No… No, it's fine if you d-don't want to Shino-kun…"

"It's fine."

You look up at him shyly. "A-Are you sure?"

He nods, standing and beckoning you over to the shaded edge of the clearing.

You follow, eyes glued to your feet. It was ridiculous because it wasn't like he was going to be taking anything besides his glasses off. Yet it still seemed so intrusive.

"Hinata."

You look up at him and promptly turn beet red.

_Oh god Kiba-kun was right!_

You quickly hide your face and turn around, ashamed at yourself for getting so worked up.

"Hinata? Are you alright? Do…Do they look that weird?"

The sudden uncertainty in is voice grounds you.

"NO! N-Not at all Shino-k-kun! They're very n-n-nice, they're just… just…"

"SHINO YOU BASTARD!!"

That was all the forewarning Kiba felt obliged to give, and you look up just in time to see Shino execute a textbook over-the-shoulder counter throw, the other boy flying a few feet before flipping in the air to land on his feet. Akamaru trots docilely over to your side, feeling more inclined to watch than participate in his owner's tomfoolery for once.

"K-Kiba-kun!"

"Kiba, the idea of sneaking up on someone is that they don't hear you coming. Yelling is not advantageous."

"Forget that! What the hell is going on Shino!? I had to bug you for days and finally ambush you to get you to show me your eyes, and you let Hinata see them just like that!? I call discrimination!"

Shino looked exasperated, and notably so since there were no glasses to obstruct his expression.

"Discrimination against what, pray tell?"

"ME!"

Shino apparently felt no need to humor Kiba any further and went to put his sunglasses back on, only to find them missing.

Kiba, on the other hand, only became more indignant at the abrupt dismissal, stomping his way back over to Shino to give the boy a piece of his mind.

_CRACK!_

Time seemed to freeze for a single moment, as Kiba blinked and lifted his foot, to reveal Shino's newly broken sunglasses.

You squeek.

Akamaru whines.

Kiba curses.

Shino doesn't even blink.

A thick silence ensues.

"Kiba." He says finally.

Kiba flinches uncharacteristically. "Y-Yeah?"

"My bag." He commands, gesturing vaguely towards the sack lying near the log you had been sitting on just minutes before. Kiba complies stiffly, offering it slowly in an attempt not to incite the boy further.

Calmly as ever, Shino pulls out a nondescript black case, and opens it to reveal another pair of sunglasses. After putting them on, he returns the case to his bag and looks up as though nothing had happened.

"Shall we being training?"

"Wait a second! What the hell Shino? Since when did you have a spare pair of sunglasses!?" Kiba says almost indignantly.

"Since yesterday." Shino retorts dryly, pining Kiba with a very deliberate look over the rim of his glasses.

Kiba blushes and seems unable to respond for a few moments, but eventually huffs and turns away. "Wh-Whatever."

"Um…" You begin uncertainly, feeling distinctly forgotten. "It's actually about time for lunch already… maybe we should just eat?"

Kiba, who seems to have broken from his embarrassment, scratches his head sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry about that guys, I totally slept in by accident."

You shake your head dismissively. "It's alright. It happens."

He looks over to Shino who shrugs. "Don't let it happen again."

Kiba smiles brightly. "Then how about this? We all go to Ichiraku's and eat, and then train hard for the rest of the day. Deal?"

You nod happily, relieved that everything worked out.

"Alright then, last one there gets to treat!" He says spiritedly and races off Akamaru quick at his heels.

Shino holds you back from following.

"Don't waste your energy, he can treat for today."

"But Shino-kun, he won't agree to that…"

Shino releases your shoulder, adjusting his sunglasses minutely.

"I think I've found a good way to deal with him."

You giggle lightly, and start off at a leisurely walk, Shino retrieving his bag before following.

And the broken glasses lay neglected in the grass, long forgotten by all parties.

* * *

**AN: **God I have such a fetish for 2nd person POV. Anyways, I kind of wanted to explore the subject of the Aburame's eyes and then (as you may or may not choose to see in the second chapter) it just got way out of control.


	2. Girlfriends

Shino looks decidedly uncomfortable.

The girl talking to him looks pleased and not entirely innocent, letting a wayward hand drift down his unusually bare arm. Her green eyes are striking and her posture suggestive, in a way that would probably be terribly attractive to anyone who was not Shino Aburame.

You almost wonder why the poor girl hasn't given up yet, because the look Shino is giving her very nearly screams _Fuck someone is trying to talk to me. What the hell do I do now?_

Kiba is seething.

It's terribly ironic considering that this was his idea to begin with, but nonetheless as the two of you peer furtively out from the corner, his abnormally sharp nails are clenched against his palm and if he scowls any further he'll be baring his equally sharp teeth.

You look silently back at Akamaru, who whines in quiet exasperation at his owner.

It's been a long day.

* * *

It had all started with _The_ _Sunglasses Incident_, as you had taken to calling it within the relative safety of your own mind.

Needless to say, both yourself and Kiba had been rather surprised to find that Shino had very, very _nice_ eyes.

That seemed to be the consensus, so long as your definition of _nice_ equated to heated, intense, and just this side of seductive.

You think maybe it has something to do with the fact that his eyes are sensitive, and thus always half-lidded when not covered with his trademark glasses. After all the Aburame have more self control then to go around squinting or anything so childish.

Either way, you couldn't help but think that maybe your canine loving teammate might have become just a touch too absorbed in taking advantage of the fact.

"He seriously needs to get laid." Kiba said casually, as if that in itself explained everything, when all it really did was make you blush. "Or a girlfriend at the very least. You know, someone to get him out and doing things. He's always way too stuck in his own head. He's going to snap one of these days at the rate he's going. It's not healthy, not healthy at all. You know? Besides his birthday's coming up and we need to get him a present. "

You nod weakly. "I… I guess… but why the optometrist?"

Kiba grins mischievously.

"You'll see."

* * *

Shino looked down warily at the two packages that were unloaded into his lap. They were wrapped rather colorfully and looked suspiciously like…

"Happy Birthday Shino!" "Ha-Happy Birthday, Shino-kun."

He stared down at the presents silently. You almost feel a little bad for disturbing him, as he had seemed so contented with his book and the cool shade of the tree he was sitting under.

"The gesture is unnecessary…" He began stiffly. Kiba frowned at him. "…but nonetheless appreciated."

"Well? Aren't you going to open them?" Kiba asked excitedly, crouching down as if to get a better look.

"Must I?" He replied uneasily, looking to you for support on the matter.

'_Just go with the plan. No worries.' Kiba had said._

"A-Actually, if you w-wouldn't mind…"

Shino let out a slight sigh of resignation. "Very well."

Taking the smaller of the two boxes, he methodically peeled away the tape, removing the wrapping paper in one undamaged sheet. Lifting the lid to the box revealed a small bottle of liquid and a case for—

"Contacts?" He said with the barest hint of confusion. "I don't need a prescription though…"

You fidget nervously. This is technically your part of Shino's overall birthday present. "Th-They're not p-p-prescription… they're …special…"

Feeling the need to investigate further, he opened one side of the case and pulled one of the contacts out. It was tinted, in a manner rather similar to his sunglasses.

Kiba was kind enough to take over the explanation.

"We had the guy at the eye doctor's make them especially for you. So that you wouldn't have to wear your sunglasses all the time. They even gave us a discount because the Aburame Clan does so much business with them!"

He seemed to mull the idea over somewhat skeptically, and placed the contact back into its case.

"I appreciate the thought. Thank you." He said formally. You could tell he was trying to hide that he thought the idea was rather ridiculous.

Kiba seemed none the wiser.

"Alright! That was part one, now for part two!"

Shino looks to the larger package, repeating the meticulous process of removing the wrapping paper. Kiba's wrapping job was notably less precise, and thus took longer to undo, and your rambunctious teammate looked ready to tear the paper to pieces by the time Shino finished.

This time, the lid opened to reveal clothes.

This was Kiba's part of the collective gift and it showed.

The topmost item was a deep grayish-blue shirt with a short collar and mid-length sleeves. It was rather tailored, probably a little more than the quiet boy was used to. Below it was a pair of black pants that, like the shirt, would probably fit more snugly than he would have preferred.

Shino glanced between the contents of the box and a proudly grinning Kiba.

"Pretty nice, huh?"

"Kiba…" Shino started hesitantly. "While once again, I appreciate the thought… why?"

"Well obviously you're going to need something for tonight, and I kind of doubt you'd have anything good in _your_ wardrobe."

Shino's posture became suspicious. "Tonight…?"

Kiba only grinned wider, savoring the fact that he finally had _Shino_ stumped for once.

"That's part four! Kurenai's present is part three. She's letting us take a break from evening training so we can get you ready!"

While Kiba was talking, Shino took on a slightly defensive position, no doubt already planning escape routes.

"Ready for what, pray tell?"

Kiba's grin only grew wider. "It's a secret. You just have to trust us!"

Shino looked anything but trusting and you somehow managed to speak up before he executed one of the aforementioned escapes.

"Um! Shino-k-kun, I know you probably d-don't want to go along with this, but… Kiba… and I… _we_ wanted t-to do something nice for you. As _teammates_. C-Couldn't you please just humor us?"

It was a low blow, pulling the teammate card that Shino himself used so often, but hard as it was to imagine, you wanted this for Shino almost as badly as Kiba did.

Shino was a very contented sort of person. He wasn't really competitive in the sense that he wanted to be the best of the best, nor did he strive to gain acknowledgement from his peers. He was already regarded as strong (creepy, but strong) and he trained and improved at his own rate. It was system that would work for very few other people, but he had utilized it well thus far.

But really, you worried for him. With that complacency, you felt like Shino never really challenged himself, pushed himself any further than was necessary, which left the tremendous amount of potential he had to go to waste. The only time he ever seemed to step out of that steady schedule of self-regimented training was in dire emergencies or when he felt like Kiba needed a lesson in modestly. So you thought, maybe, that if Shino could find someone he loved, more so than family and teammates at least, then maybe he would find in himself the need to improve, to protect that precious person.

That and, heartfelt reasons aside, Shino _really_ needed to get out more.

_Really_.

As in even _you_ could tell.

Of course, unaware of these sentiments, Shino was giving you a rather disbelieving look, considering that this was probably the only time you had ever sided with Kiba on one of his ridiculous ideas.

"P-Please?" You repeat hopefully.

Shino's shoulders slump slightly with resignation.

"…Very well. Shall we depart then?"

* * *

You were becoming increasingly sure that you had lost your mind.

Kiba, Akamaru, and Hinata were chatting in hushed voices in your room, no doubt discussing the details of the night that they felt no need to inform you of.

It was… _concerning_. But you trusted them not to drag you into anything _too_ traumatizing. You knew they had your best interests at heart. They were your _teammates_ after all.

Or at least that was the thought you consoled yourself with as you stared down your strangely foreign image in the mirror.

The clothes were rather… fitted, to say the least, and Kiba's more attention-grabbing sense of style showed through them clearly. Not to mention your eyes. They looked rather different. Darker. No doubt because of the shaded contacts

"Hey Shino, are you almost done in there!? I swear you take longer to get ready than my sister!"

You scowled slightly at Kiba's snide remark and surprise yourself, as your expression was now unobstructed by both collar and glasses.

_I'll have to work on that._

"My apologies Kiba," You replied without any real regret, finally exiting the bathroom. "I am unaccustomed to this particular mode of dress."

And they stared.

Or at least, Kiba stared and Hinata turned red and became inexplicably absorbed with petting Akamaru.

"What?" You asked, smothering the creeping uncertainty that had been stalking you ever since the beginning of this nonsense, and tried to look unaffected.

Kiba finally seemed to get a hold of himself.

"…Damn Shino, this is going to be easier than I thought." He said with no small amount of awe. "Although…"

You're not sure what to make of his sudden approach and reacted just a touch to late to stop him from grabbing fistfuls of your shirt and pulling up to untuck it from your pants. By the time he finished you managed to step back and bring your arms in front of yourself protectively, by force of instinct alone. This proved ultimately fruitless however as he next reached up past your arms to generally ruffle your hair, his face coming entirely too close to yours to be strictly comfortable.

He stood back and gave you a quick once over, grinning proudly.

"There, now it's perfect!"

You felt vaguely violated, but refuse to acknowledge being bothered by it.

"Kiba, would you mind informing me of what sort of activity we will be participating in that requires this change of attire?" You said with the last of your god-like patience.

Kiba huffed.

"What? So you don't trust _Hinata_ and I? You can't even bring yourself to have faith in your own _teammates_?"

_Damn it he just had to drag Hinata into this…_

"No," You replied placidly. "I'm merely curious as to what would entail this sort of prerequisite."

Kiba gave you that look that communicated his distaste for you choice of vocabulary.

"Well if you _have_ to know…" He grumbles. "…we're going to find you a girlfriend."

This time _you_ stared.

"_I beg your pardon_?"

"WE-ARE-GOING-TO-FIND-YOU-A-GIRLFRIEND." Kiba repeats irritably. "What does your lack of glasses mess up your hearing, too?"

You continue to stare.

Kiba fidgeted under your gaze, and a strangely detached part of you mind thinks you might have seen the barest hint of a blush peeking out from his red tattoos.

"Damn it, would you stop staring at me like that and say something!?"

"Why?"

"Why? Because it looks like your about to _eat_ me or something. It's creepy!"

You're still too shocked to properly retort, so you settle on clarifying.

"No, why a girlfriend?"

"O-Oh… Well because you need to get out more man, _seriously_."

"So ultimately all _this_ was so that I could get a girlfriend?" You reiterated.

"Yep!"

"For my _birthday_?"

"Well yeah!"

"Kiba… you do realize—"

"Um! …Sh-Shino-kun …K-Kiba-kun…"

You both simultaneously look over to Hinata, only slightly surprised she had the courage to interrupt you.

"Um… it's s-starting to get late…"

Sure enough, a quick glance out the window revealed that night had fallen.

_Did I really take that long_?

"Late? What are you talking about Hinata? The night is still young!" Kiba said energetically, grabbing both your and Hinata's wrists and leading you out of the Aburame household. "But we do need to get going, or else all the hot chicks will be taken!"

You couldn't help but scowl slightly. "You have experience with this?"

You'd be tempted to say that Kiba stumbled slightly when you asked, but his stride was relatively sloppy anyways, so…

"N-Not that much, I mean it's pretty common knowledge… You guys are just out of the loop."

You sigh and let it go, opting instead to enjoy the cool night air, the faint twinkling of stars, Hinata's soft breaths of exertion to keep up, and Kiba's warm, steady grip against your wrist.

_Maybe this won't be such a bad birthday after all._

After about 15 minutes of jogging, you found yourself in one of the more backwater streets of the city, bustling with teenagers and young adults. If memory served, this was an area right on the edge of the pleasure district and home to many bars and clubs.

You must have been making a pretty disapproving face, because Kiba obviously felt the need to placate you.

"Easy there Shino, we won't go into any of the clubs or bars or anything. I know we aren't old enough, but that doesn't stop us from hanging around outside, right?" He explains, grinning wolfishly.

You nodded indifferently. You almost wish this place was further away so you would have spent more time walking. But alas, you were here for a…

…_I really wish we were still walking._

"Oh nice! Over here you guys, here are a couple of crates we can sit on." You heard Kiba yell from a little ways away.

Kiba and Hinata ended up sitting and you stood, despite there being plenty of room. That way if there were an attack for some reason you would be better prepared to act.

* * *

Shino looks like he'd rather be dead.

The stupid whore talking to him looks _so_ self-satisfied, putting her hands where they _clearly_ aren't wanted. She's wearing w_ay_ too much make-up and is shamelessly flaunting her cleavage, in a way that Shino sure as hell doesn't appreciate.

You really wish she'd just get a clue and fuck _off_, because the look Shino is giving her very clearly screams _Please just go the fuck away, I do __**not**__ want to talk to you._

You're seething.

And you're not sure why.

You and Hinata had only left for a second to go get drinks while Shino guarded your seats, but then you come back and see _this_.

_That sleazy whore is sitting in my seat!_

It looks like Shino is actually saying something now, like he's trying to get her to move.

_Ha! Kiba: 1 Stuck-up Whore: 0_

You think you hear Akamaru make a scolding growl, but it's probably just the din of the crowd.

You feel a hand on your arm. "Um… Kiba-kun…"

"What!?" You snap irritably and immediately regret it.

Poor Hinata's been on edge ever since some guy tried to pick her up. It was kind of funny and the guy actually hadn't seemed that bad, but Hinata had looked about ready to pass out so you had chased him off.

However you're female teammate is not a stuttering apologetic mess or a step away from an emotional meltdown like you had anticipated. In fact it almost looks like she had been expecting that kind of reaction.

"Kiba-kun… you're…" She bites her lip nervously. "You're growling…"

You blink dumbly.

"Huh?"

"Is… there something wrong with that girl?" She probes hesitantly.

"Well duh, just look at her! She looks like she'd ask Shino to _pay_ her at the end of the night!"

"K-Kiba-kun!" She stutters disapprovingly. "That's terrible!"

"Oh come on Hinata! Shino deserves a _way_ better girlfriend then that!"

Hinata frowns lightly and fiddles with her jacket sleeve, muttering something under her breath.

You give her a questioning look.

"…like what…"

"What?"

"You s-say that Sh-Shino-kun deserves a b-better girlfriend. S-So what kind of g-girlfriend? Wh-What kind of c-criteria are you using?"

You choke, nothing really comes to mind. "W-Well… I dunno…just… not like that, okay?! She's no good, just trust me. I have a good sense for these things!"

She doesn't look convinced and you can't believe you're getting shut down by Hinata.

After a brief lapse in conversation and a few nervous glances in Shino's direction Hinata's eyes widen and her cheeks redden.

"Wait… K-Kiba-kun… could it be… are you… jealous?"

"WHAT!? I'm _not_ jealous of that stupid whore and I'm _not_ gay!"

Despite your extensive history together and many, many blunders, you think this is the first time the girl has ever looked at you like you're an idiot.

"N-No Kiba-kun… I meant the other way… that you're jealous of Shino-kun… but…"

"Shit! Wait, Hinata I'm serious I'm not—"

A shrill scream interrupts you and all eyes are on Shino and the girl as she slaps him and runs away.

Shino looks dumbstruck and inexplicably relieved as you and Hinata run over to him, cradling the offended cheek.

"Dude! Shino, what happened!? Are you okay!?" You say worriedly, pulling his hand away too look at his face. "What did you say to her?"

He gives you an odd look briefly before dodging your eyes.

"Nothing." He says in a surprisingly dispassionate voice, holding up a finger to reveal a Kikaichu. "One came out."

You quickly cover your mouth, doing your best not to laugh, but you find it escaping anyways and Hinata is doing her best to smother a giggle too.

The whole situation is just so… _Shino_ that it's hilarious.

Shino himself frowns in confusion at your reaction, but it eventually dissipates into an awkward sort of half-grin that only makes you smile more.

It takes a few minutes for you to completely work through your laughing fit, and before your done you can't help but take a jab at Shino.

"Fuck… Shino that's too funny. I thought you had absolute control over those things."

He keeps a perfectly straight face, but you can hear the mirth in his voice as he speaks.

"I do."

And you burst out laughing anew.

No one else approaches you for the rest of the night.

This may or may not be a product of Kiba's subconscious growling or the constant presence of one or two Kikaichu on your exposed skin at all times, but you ultimately decide not to question it and enjoy your teammate's company.

At the moment, you're becoming increasingly certain that the walk home has been your favorite part this whole endeavor.

The night is cool and broad, filled with the icy stars above you, the vivid city lights behind you, and the comfortable laughter of your friends echoing all around you.

It's not quite perfect, but it's close enough for you.

Oddly enough, Hinata is the first to break off from the group, muttering something about errands and if she could talk with Kiba for just a second.

You smile ever so slightly to yourself, vaguely amused by the fact that Hinata was making the first move. The girl's confidence had been building for a while now, and she could more or less talk to anyone besides Naruto with her head held high. It filled you with a peculiar sort of paternal pride to see how she was maturing. Nonetheless, you still would have imagined Kiba being the one to ask her out. Besides, there had been no outward signs that her crush on Naruto had waned, so it was somewhat out of the blue.

Regardless, you're pretty sure that Kiba has been harboring a crush on her since your genin team was formed, so to see something finally come of it was pleasing, if not vaguely ironic, considering that you were supposed to be the one with the girlfriend at the end of the night.

You can't say you're really jealous either. As stated, your feelings for Hinata were closer to paternal than romantic, and your unemotive tendencies wouldn't give her the kind of reassurance she needed besides.

It was better this way.

* * *

Kiba is sputtering inelegantly and you can't help but acknowledge that on some level, this is kind of cute.

"Y-Y-You want me to _what_!?"

Naturally, however, you only have eyes for Naruto-kun.

"Kiba-kun," You don't know where the sudden firmness to your tone has come from, but you find yourself rather liking it. "This whole denial thing… you suck at it. I'm sorry."

Ah that's right, it probably came from being forced to watch Kiba growl possessively at every person who came within a two meter radius of them _all night long_. It had actually gotten to the point where it had been so obvious that even Shino asked about it, though pinning it as an unpleasant smell or something of the like.

"N-No way! I'm serious Hinata! I'm not gay and I don't like Shino! Right Akamaru!?"

Akamaru whines disbelievingly from the ground near Kiba's feet.

"Shit, not you too!"

Akamaru barks accusingly at Kiba and you watch him wince a few times and turn red, and you start to really wish you knew what he was saying.

"Sh-Shut up! That was only twice! It happens!"

More barking.

"No I was not!"

A low growl.

"F-Fine! Okay! Maybe I was... but I'm telling you it's not like that!"

Akamaru huffs wryly, barking a few more times, and Kiba looks appalled.

"Oh that's a low blow, dude, _low blow_."

Another growl.

"Look man, I think he's attractive. Sure. I mean hell, with eyes like that…" Kiba seems to catch himself and cuts the train of thought off. "It doesn't mean I like him like_ that_…"

Another string of barks.

"Oh fuck you! Like you were any better with that high-strung little Lhasa—"

Akamaru seems to deflate, and Kiba's hand shoots up to cover his mouth guiltily.

"—Shit. I'm sorry boy, I didn't mean to bring that up. I know how much you liked her—"

Akamaru starts barking again with renewed vigor and Kiba seems somehow touched.

"Akamaru… I …I know where you're coming from man, I really do, but… I mean—Shino's a guy! And what if he—!?"

Akamaru cuts in with a few growling barks and Kiba chews on his lip sulkily.

"Fine! Fine! I get it already! I'll try asking him out." Kiba finally yells in defeat. "Fuck. This is going to be so awkward. He's going to look at me like I'm and idiot and—"

Akamaru snorts and lets out a few joking barks. Kiba seems slightly thrown off by it and starts laughing.

"Shit, that would _so _be worth it!" He laughs wryly before softening a little. "Thanks man, you always know the right thing to say." He pauses moment. "But if this goes horribly wrong I am so blaming it on you."

Aside from feeling utterly forgotten once again, you don't think you've ever wished you could understand animals as much as you do right now.

* * *

"Shino you ass! You left without me!" You yell at the retreating figure's back.

Shino turns back towards you and pauses so you can catch up.

"My apologies, I assumed you would be walking Hinata home." He replies blandly, starting to walk again.

You move to match his pace. "No, she just wanted to talk to me about… something private."

"I figured as much—" You stop dead in your tracks. "—but I was under the impression that it was proper etiquette to walk your girlfriend home."

You breathe a sigh of relief that he hadn't noticed your odd behavior.

"Yeah, I guess but—WAIT WHAT!?"

Shino stops again to look at you questioningly. "Am I mistaken?"

"No—er—Yes! I mean—! I don't—! Hinata's not my girlfriend!"

He looks decidedly unbothered. "Oh? I thought she was going to ask you out. I'm sorry."

"You really thought _Hinata_ was going to ask _me_ out?"

"She's grown more confident lately."

"Yeah I guess…"

_Kiba-kun, this whole denial thing… you suck at it. I'm sorry._

"No, definitely." You correct yourself and Shino doesn't ask.

Akamaru snaps at your heels impatiently and barks. _Quit stalling you scaredy cat!_

"I'm getting to it!"

He snorts mockingly and trotting ahead to give you and Shino some space. _Sure you are_.

"Getting to what?" Shino asks suddenly.

"Ah! Well…" You rub the back of your neck nervously and you hate yourself for blushing a little. _Fuck. This is even more awkward than I thought it would be._ "Um, speaking of girlfriends…"

"It's fine." Shino says dismissively and you tense up. _Fine? What's fine? Having a girlfriend? Dating? Kissing? Taking me here and now because __**fuck**__ those __**EYES**__. _"I didn't really want a girlfriend anyways."

"…huh?" Shino pins you with a confused look and you shudder slightly. "Er…Right, tonight didn't really work out like I had hoped…"

Shino shrugs it off, looking away, and suddenly you can think properly again. The scenery is starting to look familiar and you realize that your house is all of twenty feet away.

You barely contain a groan.

_Shit, it's like I've walked right into a scene from some shallow, repulsively sweet teen romance novel or something. An awkward confession under the stars, standing in front of my house after a night out and everything. Fuck I think I'm going to be sick._

You fiddle with the latch on the gate and it clacks open noisily.

"Uh… Do you want to come in or anything…?" You say uncertainly, grasping for some way to get out of this. You look back towards Shino and instantly regret it.

He's looking straight at you, with a mix of worry and frustration that looks entirely too much like ravenous intent for your comfort. You curse yourself for the millionth time that night for coming up with the whole contacts and clothes bit because you swear your knees would have given out if not for the support of the gate.

"Just say it Kiba."

"S-Say what?" You reply by pure reflex.

"You look like your about to explode unless you get a chance to divulge whatever burden it is you're baring right now. So just say it."

"Wouldyougooutwithme?" You're almost thankful for being so wound up, because the words spill out before you can worry much about saying them.

"Slower Kiba." Shino says soothingly.

"Would… Would you go out with me?" You repeat hesitantly.

Shino looks vaguely confused and you realize your mistake. "Of co—"

"NO! No, no, no, no, no. Stop right there, because I _know_ that your about to say something _so_ socially retarded that only you could come up with it and completely ignore what I was trying to ask you. So just shut up and let me rephrase that."

Shino looks slightly perturbed by the hand that had been shoved in his face to get him to stop talking, but kept quiet.

"I want you to go out with me… like boyfriends—No, not a friend that's a boy.—Romantically and all that crap. You know… dating and kissing and the like."

Shino blinks widely at you and the awkwardness hits you like a wave. "Oh."

"Um… yeah… so…"

Shino seems to start saying something at least five times an ends up with "That was unexpected."

You always though people were exaggerating when they talked about wanting crawl into a hole and die.

"Look man, if you don't want to—"

"May I have a while to think about it?" Shino interrupts uncharacteristically, seeming slightly more composed that before.

"Yes! Er…I mean, sure if you want…"

"Thank you." He says stiffly and turns to leave. "Good night Kiba."

"Yeah…Night Shino…" You reply somewhat dumbly, leaning back onto the gate as you close it, looking at Akamaru.

"Is that good or bad?"

Akamaru huffs and bounds inside. _That's pathetic, is what that was._ He barks a few more times from inside._ And that's coming from a member of a species that sniffs each other's butts to say hello._

You feel the blush creeping back and mumble to yourself. "It wasn't _that_ bad."

"No, it definitely was."

Your stomach sinks as you look up to see Hana grinning mockingly, in a way that only an older sister can manage, and you think you can hear your mother busting a gut from somewhere in the house.

"Oh son of a—"

* * *

**AN:** Sorry there's no real ending to this, but this is probably the closest that you'll be getting. Besides, what with me being a ShinoKiba shipper, you can probably guess where this is going. Thanks for reading! :D


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